Title: Afgrunden (The Abyss)
Year: 1910
Genres: Drama; Romance
Director: Urban Gad

Cast:

• Asta Nielsen as Magda Vang
• Valdemar Psilander as Harald Berg
• Peter Nielsen as Magda’s Father

Synopsis:

Magda Vang, a provincial girl, rejects her seducer Harald Berg and returns home. Torn between duty and passion, she resists Harald’s persistent advances while caring for her ailing father. Harald pursues her, ultimately trapping her in a garden pavilion. In a moment of emotional surrender, Magda gives in to his embrace. The film concludes with Magda’s anguished realization of lost innocence, leaving her haunted by regret and longing.

Trivia:

• Asta Nielsen’s performance made her the first international film star, and her naturalistic acting style revolutionized early cinema.
• The film features one of cinema’s earliest on-screen kisses, considered scandalous at the time.
• “Afgrunden” was one of the first Danish films to achieve worldwide distribution and acclaim.
• The original score by composer Otto Lagerfölk is often reconstructed and performed live in modern restorations.
• The Abyss has been in the public domain since its release, with many restored versions available from archives.